Cricket game

ABSTRACT

A cricket playing game has a board ( 2 ) having an array of squares defining a path of travel for a playing piece. Each playing piece represents a batsman. A throw of the die is equivalent to a ball being bowled and determines how far along the path the playing piece ( 6 ) moves. The score is determined by adding up the numbers on the squares on which the playing piece lands. Events that occur in the game of cricket are marked on some of the squares. A deck of question cards is also provided. When a player lands on an event square, he has asked a question which determines whether his batsmen is out or not. The game represents a realistic emulation of the rules and scoring of cricket.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a board game based on the sport of cricket.

BACKGROUND ART

Cricket has a strong following of players and supporters who have become familiar with the rules of play. Since cricket is a seasonal game, there is potential amongst its supporters for a board game that can be played indoors by way of relaxation and yet act as a reminder of days on the field.

Various attempts have been made to develop games that emulate cricket. Typically the board is designed as a representation of the cricket field. See for example GB 600539 (EDWARD GEORGE BRAY) 12 Apr. 1948 and WO 02/094398 A (CARYL PIENAAR) 28 Nov. 2002. This leads to a need for a complex set of rules which are quite different from those used in the normal game.

In Bray and also in WO 2005/110560 A (VYAS, BHAVIK MANHARIAL) 24 Nov. 2005 pieces, representing players move step-by-step over the squares of a board. In Vyas the position of the player's piece on the board determines various events that may occur during a game. However, Vyas requires a die with 10 faces to act as a ball in the game. This ball has faces which determine the number of runs (from 0-6) or whether the ball is a no ball or wide. Movement over the board is dictated by the accumulated runs of the player.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention provides game apparatus for first and second players comprising a board having an array of squares defining a path of travel for a playing piece, a plurality of playing pieces representing team members belonging to each player, a random number generator, a set of cards having questions relating to the game of cricket, and a score keeping means, wherein some of the board squares carry numbers representing a number of runs scored by a team member whose piece lands on the square and some of the squares represent events in the game, the score of each team member being determined by the accumulated runs on the squares on which his piece lands during its travel across the board as determined by the number generator, which is operated six valid times in succession for each player in turn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES IN THE DRAWINGS

in order that the invention may be well understood, an embodiment thereof, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a board for use in playing the game of the invention; and

FIG. 2 shows other apparatus for use in playing the game.

MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The game is played on a board 2 as shown in FIG. 1. The figure shows one possible design of the board. The other equipment needed to play the game is a random number generator, in this case a conventional six-sided die 4, playing pieces such as miniature batsmen 6, a deck of question cards 8 and a scoring device 10.

The game is played between two players who each have a team or side, preferably made up of eleven members as in the conventional game of cricket. Each member of the team is represented by a playing piece. The game is designed to emulate as closely as possible a limited overs cricket game between two sides. The throw of the die emulates the bowling of a ball in an over of cricket. Therefore, the die is rolled for each player six valid times in succession to represent an over in the game.

The board has sixty four squares arranged in an eight by eight array to define a conventional zigzag path for a playing piece which starts at the bottom left hand corner square 12 and moves along each row in turn. The number of squares moved during each ‘move’ is determined by the throw of the die. Therefore, a move can be described as a ball in the over. Some of the squares are left blank and a playing piece that lands on such a square will score no run for that ball. Other squares are marked with events that can occur in the game of cricket.

In the board illustrated, the squares which represent runs are as follows

1 run 8 squares 2 runs 7 squares 3 runs 1 square 4 runs 6 squares 6 runs 3 squares

There are an additional twelve squares which have no numbers and no event and these represent a maiden ball where no run is scored.

Some of the events represent a team member, batsman, losing his wicket

Bowled 3 squares Caught 4 squares Run Out 4 squares LBW 4 squares Stumped 3 squares Retired Hurt 1 square

When a player's piece lands on such a square, the other player selects a card from the deck 8 and asks the question printed on it of the first player. If the first player answers it correctly, then his team member is not out and the over continues. If the first player answers incorrectly or cannot answer, then his team member is out and he must continue the over with his next team member (if he has one) who starts at the starting square 12.

The board also has four squares which represent the event ‘no ball’. When a player's piece lands on such a square, the score of the team member is increased by one “extra” as in the conventional game of cricket and another ball is bowled in the over. Therefore, in playing this game, the rules of cricket are reinforced rather than the players learning a different set.

A batsman receiving a ball which the wicket keeper does not collect cleanly resulting in byes is represented by squares with the word “Byes” and a number which is the number of byes scored off that ball. The board has squares which represent a batsman receiving a ball resulting in byes as follows:

1 Byes 2 squares 2 Byes 1 square

This combination of events in a cricket match represented in a graphical manner is what makes this board unique. When taken with how the game is played, the board can be considered a cricket pitch with a fielding team and a batting team. Each event depicted is a direct result of a bowler bowling a ball to a batsman and the batsman taking some action with the approaching ball which results in the event:—runs scored, batsman loses his wicket, a maiden ball, byes or no balls.

The scoring device 10 can be a standard cricket score pad or a mechanical device which facilitates the addition of the runs. The game can be used to help scorers develop their skills. The scoring device can include compartments for playing pieces representing the members of each team that waiting to go in and those which are “but”.

Game Play

Before the game the players decide on

-   -   The number of players, usually two but can play with four     -   The number of members on a team can be any number up to a full         team of eleven (11), but the game can be played six a side or         seven a side.     -   List the names of each player on a sheet of paper of the scoring         device.     -   The number of overs. One over is equal to six legal throws of         the dice.

At the start of the game, the players roll the die to decide whose team shall bat first. The player with the highest number will bat first. He is the batting player and his team at the batting team. The other team is the fielding team and the other player is the fielding player. The batting player places his first team member at the starting square and the die is thrown. The other player may act as bowler while the first player moves his piece

Six valid throws of the dice constitute an over. The number of throws of the die will be equal to the number of overs times 6. i.e. six overs will require thirty six legal throws of the dice to complete a game. Each throw of the dice simulates a ball bowled.

Each new batsman starts at the starting position and moves around the board. After each throw of the die, the batting player notes the number on the upper face of the die and then moves his playing piece that number of squares along the predefined path on the board. The batting player notes the value of the square on which his piece lands.

-   -   a. If the square has a number value, the score for that team         member is increased by that value     -   b. If the square is blank, that is a maiden ball     -   c. If a no ball, extras increase by one and an extra ball is         added to the over     -   d. If a bye increase the extras by the value of the byes     -   e. If the square indicates an event, which is a potential “out”         e.g. Caught, Bowled, LBW, etc, the batting player is required to         answer a question which is asked by the fielding player by         taking a question card from the pack         -   i. If the batting player answers the question correctly, the             ball is considered a no-ball (unless the event is a run out)             and the criteria for no-ball applies: extras increase by 1             and an extra throw of the die is required         -   ii. If the batting player does not answer the question             correctly, the batsman is out, and a new batsman will come             to the wicket to continue the innings. Playing pieces             representing batsmen that are out can be placed in a             separate compartment of the scoring device.         -   iii. If batsman lands on a run-out square and answers the             question correctly then his/her score increases by 1, and             the throw of the dice is a legal ball.

At the end of the over (six valid throws of the die), the roles are reversed, the batting player become the fielding player and the fielding team becomes the batting team. The new batting team throws the die and play commences as before.

A batsman continues to bat until he is out, if he reaches the last square on the board, the batsman simply continue from the start position.

The game is over when all the overs are bowled in which case the team with the highest score wins; or a team is bowled out, in which case that team loses.

Variations

It will be appreciated that numerous variations are possible within the general principles described. For example, the die may become any random number generator, such as a multi-sided spinning top. 

1. Game apparatus for first and second players comprising a board having an array of squares defining a path of travel for a playing piece, a plurality of playing pieces representing team members belonging to each player, a random number generator, a deck of cards having questions relating to the game of cricket, and a score keeping means, wherein some of the board squares carry numbers representing a number of runs scored by a team member whose piece lands on the square and some of the squares represent events in the game, the score of each team member being determined by the accumulated runs on the squares on which his piece lands during its travel across the board as determined by the number generator, which is operated six valid times in succession for each player in turn.
 2. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the random number generator is a die that is thrown.
 3. Game apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 